I Am Scouted by Real Madrid

Chapter 560: Chapter 35: Declaration of War, A New Era (Part 2)

In 1994, Simeone transferred to Atletico Madrid, where he unleashed his full energy at Estadio Vicente Calderón. It was at The Sheet Army that Simeone reached the peak of his career.

This was also the last brief moment of glory for Atletico Madrid before they fell to Segunda Division.

In his second season at Atletico Madrid, the team achieved its first-ever double crown in history—the 9th La Liga championship and the 9th King’s Cup championship.

In the King’s Cup final, the team defeated Barcelona under Johan Cruyff.

It also became the biggest topic of conversation for Atletico Madrid fans during those later subdued years.

Simeone became a ”legend” at Atletico Madrid in his second season. His strong defense and control over the midfield helped the team achieve the double crown.

It was also the only time in his entire career that he scored more than ten goals in a single season—a record of 12 goals.

Although Simeone later played for Inter Milan, Lazio, and Argentine Racing Club,

having played for Atletico Madrid twice and overall for five seasons, it remained the longest time he stayed with a team after joining the first team in his career.

It is worth mentioning that the second stint at Atletico Madrid was in 2004, the same year Chen Zhong was recommended by Juni Calafat to join Real Madrid Youth training in China; that year, Chen Zhong was rated as ”a player for whom anything is possible.”

Simeone announced his retirement in February 2006, officially ending his 19-year professional football career.

By 2006, Chen Zhong had already swept through the youth team and was known as a ”Monster,” with everyone aware that this young man was about to join Castilla, just waiting for the chance to naturally enter the Real Madrid first team.

Only, no one expected it to happen so quickly.

In August 2007, Chen Zhong was included in the Real Madrid first-team roster. At that time, Simeone had been retired for less than a year, and he already had over a year of coaching experience.

In a sense, Diego Simeone’s coaching career was far more ”glorious” than his playing career, given that the same year he retired, he became the interim head coach of Argentine Racing Club. After completing the rest of the season with the team, he coached at La Plata University.

Then at the end of 2007, as Chen Zhong gradually secured his starting position in Real Madrid, Simeone suddenly became the head coach of Riverbed. Before being invited to join Atletico Madrid, he also coached San Lorenzo for a full season.

Fans who don’t follow the Argentine first division might not know what such an experience means.

In the Argentine league, the title contenders.

Or the five major clubs, namely Boca Juniors, Riverbed, Argentine Independence, Racing, and San Lorenzo.

These five clubs garner nearly ninety percent of domestic fans’ support.

Among them, Boca Juniors and Riverbed could be said to be the ”Reals Bars” of the A-League, and their derby is one of the world’s most intense and explosive. Watching their derby, you might think that playing football seems to be no longer the most important thing.

The most important thing is to beat the opponents in every way possible.

In every possible sense.

Red and yellow cards become a warrior’s symbol, a badge of honor.

Simeone’s coaching experience in the Argentine league, if translated to the Premier League, would be akin to starting as a coach for Arsenal, then taking over Manchester United, and finally having a stint at Liverpool.

Then Real Madrid sent an invitation to Simeone, and Diego Simeone left the rising star league to join what was essentially the world’s number one league, La Liga.

Before Diego Simeone took over the team, it seemed that Atletico Madrid was heading into a harsh winter.

The team was a financial wreck, the players were dispirited and listless, and some even feared they might once again fall to the lower leagues.

But Diego Simeone was like a shot of adrenaline injected into Atletico Madrid.

This game, though the team lost, the spirit they displayed satisfied many Atletico fans.

When facing an unbeatable opponent, attending fans had already prepared themselves to endure failure, but even in defeat, they hoped to see a team that would die standing rather than kneeling.

Diego Simeone tightened his jaw in front of the camera. This short-haired, rugged man spoke: ”When I came here, I already realized what kind of test I would undergo.”

”During my player career here, I succeeded; I hope my coaching career can succeed here too. We won the league championship and King’s Cup; we defeated Real Madrid and Barcelona.”

”I wish to achieve the same feat in my coaching career here.”

”We lost this match.”

”But, I want to promise the fans, in every future match, every player you see will fight with all their might, using every means to struggle for victory.”

”Anyone unwilling to fight doesn’t deserve to wear Atletico Madrid’s jersey.”

”What I want are players who will fight and strive together with me.”

”This is what I want to say; I will always stay at Atletico Madrid, one year, three years, five years, ten years, even twenty years. I have a grand plan.”

”I will reshape the current Atletico Madrid into the team that I once remembered.”

”This is why the club hired me.”

”Because I once had success at Atletico Madrid.”

”I have the genetic makeup of success at Atletico Madrid.”

Diego Simeone’s words resonated, taking him back to the time when Atletico Madrid contacted him. He was still at Argentina’s ”meat grinder” battlefield, a mad battleground where players on the field spared no means to obliterate the opponent.

And he also noticed how Atletico Madrid now seemed like a feeble shadow of its former self.

Atletico Madrid was no longer the iron-blooded troop he remembered.

The club management’s goal was for him to bring back Atletico Madrid’s old genetic makeup.

For a club with a long history, a club’s DNA is something outsiders don’t understand but something fans strongly identify with.

Once you lose your DNA, there’s nothing much worth mentioning about the team.

Diego Simeone’s manifesto stirred various reactions from other teams’ fans, but it energized Atletico Madrid’s fans and players. He didn’t even touch on the incident of Chen Zhong elbowing Diego Costa, as he saw it as a matter of letting others bleed next time.

The team he would coach was destined not to be gentle.

Later on, people would discuss Diego Simeone and his Atletico Madrid, saying his presence, and his team’s presence, elevated the defensive intensity of La Liga by several levels.

Diego Simeone made no qualms about stating that if ”Reals Bars” were righteousness, then he would be the big villain!

Mourinho listened to Diego Simeone’s entire speech, and the expression of this renowned Portuguese coach was complex, for what Diego Simeone intended to do bore some resemblance to what he did at Chelsea.

Yet it was different.

Frankly speaking, it was somewhat like the story of Lord Ferguson coaching Manchester United.

Ferguson’s first match coaching Manchester United also was a loss.

But many years later, he led Manchester United to success.

The new era of football had arrived.

The topic of money backing football was increasingly frequent, whether about players, coaches, or other issues, they would arise more often in this era.

And this man.

Diego Simeone.

This overly young man.

Seems to be challenging the entire new era.

And such passion and charisma, or perhaps ”brainwashing” ability.

Mourinho faced the camera and said: ”As I said, this is just another ordinary victory.”

Yet in his heart, he believed that he could achieve something significant.

Mourinho’s gaze flickered before he quickly refocused. He wasn’t simply undermining Atletico Madrid and Diego Simeone; rather, aside from himself, when it came to team history, player configuration, or coach reputation,

Barcelona, Milan.

Allegri, Mourinho

Messi, Ibrahimovic

These all demanded more of his attention, and all these matches were within this month.

Compared to these two matches, the many-years-awaited Derby win of Atletico Madrid was just an ordinary match, wasn’t it?

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